Cultivator



H. A. HARRIS July 14, 1931.

CULTIVA'IOR Filed Nov. 9. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet l July 14, 1931.

H. A. HARRIS 1,814,693

CULTIVATOR Filed Nov. 9, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 H. A. HARRIS July 14, 1931.

CULTIVATOR Filed Nov. 9, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Harms,

ell/yd.

Patented July 14, 1931 UNITED STATES HENRY ALI-IARRIS, OF NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS I CULTIVATOR Application filed November 9, 1929. Serial No. 405,993.

The device forming the subject matter of this application is a cultivator. One object of this invention is to provide novel steering mechanism for the cultivator, and another '5 object of the invention is to improve the frame which carries the cultivator beams.

- It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally, and to enhance the utility of, devices of that sort to which the invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in View, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of constructionhereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes may be made in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention. In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 shows in top plan, a cultivator constructed in accordance with the invent-ion; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the cultivator; Figure 8 is a fragmental longitudinal section wherein parts are in elevation;

Figure 4 is a fragmental transverse section showing themounting of the ground Wheels and adjacent parts;

Figure 5 is a horizontal section illustrating how the forward ends of the plow beams are connected to the frame work ofthe machine;

Figure 6 is a vertical section taken through the forward end of one of the plow beams and parts connected therewith Figure 7 is a fragmental elevation showing a portion of the arched axle; V .7 Figure 8 is a plan of the eye-bolt which unites certain parts of the machine.

3 of the arched axle 1. The numeral 8 marks a U-shaped lower frame member, comprising a front portion 9 and .rearwardly-extended arms 7, the arms being secured at 6 in the sockets 5. 1 The numeral 10 marks a support located adjacent to the longitudinal center of the machine, as disclosed in Figure 1. The support '10 is a metal strip or bar, which slants downwardly and forwardly, ascan be seen in Figure 3.- Near to its rear end, the support 10 carries a downwardly extended and rearwardly inclined tubular bearing 11.

The numeral-12 marks an'eye bolt engaged around the bearing 11. The shank of the eye bolt extends forwardly and upwardly around the top piece 2 of the axle 1, and is extended upwardly through the support 10, as shown in Figure 3, the eye bolt, thus, constituting a means for connecting the rear portion of the support to the top piece 2 of the axle'l. I

' At its forward extremity, the support 10 is provided with a rearwardly prolonged, approximately horizontal extension 14:. Draft'rigging-15 ofany desired sort is disposed againstthe front portion 9 of'the lower frame member 8. A securing element, such as a bolt 16, connects both the draft rigging and the lower forward end. of the support iLO to the front portion 9 of the frame mem-; icr 8.

The numeral 17 marks a cross bar. At a. point intermediate its ends, the cross bar 17 is connected by a clip 18 to the support 10. The cross bar 17 has reduced ends 19 on which are mounted the forward ends of approximately horizontal braces 21, nuts 20 being mounted on the parts 19 to hold the forwardends of the braces 21 in place. The rear ends of the: braces 21 areconnected in anydesired way to the arched axle. If desired, the rearends of the braces 21 may be reduced andsecuredby nuts 22 '(Figures 3 and 7) in the elbows 4 of the arched axle 1.

Uprights '23 are mounted on the reduced ends 19 of the cross bar 17. The lower ends of the uprights 23 are held by nuts 24 on a cross rod 25 extended (Figure 5) through the 1H" side arms 7 of the lower frame member 8.

On the rear end of the part 14 of the support 10 (Figure 3) there is an eye 26 which is engaged around the intermediate portion of the rod 25. Tubular spacers 27 are located on the rod 25, between the eye 26 and the side arms 7 of the frame member 8. The tubular members 27 sustain and strengthen the frame 8 at its forward end, but the said spacers can rotate on the rod 25. The spacers 27 extend through sleeves 28. The sleeves 28 have rearwardly extended split compressible sockets 29. The forward ends of beams are received in the sockets 29. Securing elements 31, such as bolts, pass through the sockets 29 and through the beams 30 the securing elements compressing, the sockets 29 on the forward ends of the beams 30. Set screws 32 are threaded into the sleeves 28 and bear upon the tubular spacers 27.

Transverse notches or seats 33 are formed in the tubular spacers 27, as shown in Figures 5 and 6. Nut-operated wedge keys 34 are slidably mounted in the sleeves 28 and are reteivcd in the seats 33.

It is clear that the keys 34 and the set screws 33 hold the sleeves 28, and, conse quently, the beams 30, on the tubular spacers 27 against movement either vertically or horizontally with respect to the spacers, although, because the spacers 27 are rotatable on the rod 25,.the beams 30 can swing upwardly and downwardly with respect to each other.

On the beams 30 are mounted soil-en gaging members 35, which need not be described in detail, because they may be of any desired structure that soil.

Anchors 65 are adjustably mounted on the beams 30. The rear ends of retractile springs 66 are detachably. mounted on the anchors 65. The forward ends of the retra.c tile springs 66 are connected by adjusting devices, such as turn-buckles 67 with the cross bar 17. The springs 66 constitute means for supporting the beams 30 and regulate the distance that the soil engaging members 35 penetrate the soil. The turnbuckles 67 can be adjusted to change the tension of the springs 66 and thereby to raise or lower the soil-engaging members 35.

Handles 36 and 37 are adjustably connected at68 in the usual way, to the plow beams 30. The handle 36 has a grip 38 of usual construction. The handle 37, however, terminates (Figure 2) in a bearing 39 in which is journal'ed an approximately vertical shaft. The shaft 40 is supplied at its upper end with a head 41. There is an abutment 42 on the lower end of the shaft 40. A compression spring 43 is disposed about the shaft 40. The lower'end of the spring 43 engages the abutment 42, and the upper end of the s )ring engages the bearing 39. The spring 43 olds is suitable for cultivating thev the shaft against rattling, but for rotary adjustment, in the bearing 39.

A- downwardly and forwardly inclined shaft 44 is journaled in the head 41. The shaft 44 has a grip 45 on its rear end. The grip 45 is supplemental to the grip 38 on the handle 36, but the grip 45' has an additional function in that it constitutes a means Whereby an o aerator may rotate the shaft 44. The

forwarc end of the shaft 44 is connected by a universal joint 46 with a shaft 47 journaled on an upstanding bearing 48 on the rear end of the'support 10. The shaft 47 is journaled, also, in a bearing bracket 49 which is held on the support 10'by the shank of the eye bolt. An additional securing means 50 for the bracket 49 may be provided if desired.

I A beveled pinion 51 is secured to the shaft 47. The pinion 51 meshes with a gear segment 52. The gear segment 52 is secured at 53 to a shaft 54 journaled in the tubular bearing 11. The bearing 11 carries a dope cup 55. t this point it may be stated that suitable lubricating devices may be supplied wherever desired. Moreover, ball hearings or other anti-friction bearings, may be resorted to wherever considered expedient or necessary, this being a matter well within the skill of a builder of farm machinery, and

having no function in the particular field of invention to which the present device relates. On the lower end of the shaft 54 there is an arm- 56. The inner end of a link 57 is pivoted to the arm 56. The outer end of the link 57 is pivoted to a bracket 58 mounted on a tie rod 59 and located near to one end of the tie rod, as Figure 1 will show. The endsof the tie'rod 59 are pivoted to rearw'ardly extended arms 60 on ve'rtical shaft-s 61 ournal-ed in tubular bearings 62 secured to the, sockets 5 and to the ends 30f the axle 1. The shafts 61 are provided at their lower ends with outwardly extended stub axles 63 on which ground wheels 64 are journal-ed.

In practical operation, a person walking behind the cultivator can rotate the shaft 44 through the instrumentality of the handle 45., The universal joint 46 imparts rotation from the shaft 44 to the shaft 47, the beveled pinion 51 and the cooperating gear segment 52 rotating the shaft 54. VVhen the shaft 54 is rotated, the arm 56 cooperates with the link 57 to move the tie rod 59 endwise, the arms 60 rotating the shafts 61 in the bearings 62, the stub axles 63 andthe shafts .61 carrying the ground wheels 64 laterally, as is neces sary inthe operationofsteering.

The device is strong, simple, compact,'and well adapted to withstand the hard use to which an article of the class described'is subjected. The beveled pinion 51 and the gear segment 52 are so designed that the operator has a large mechanical advantage when he starts to turn the shaft 44 by means of the handle 45.

What is claimed is 1. In a device of the class described, an arched axle including a top and depending ends, ground wheels carried by the axle, a U-shaped lower frame member connected at its rear axle end to the ends of the axle, a support connected at its rear end to the top of the axle, and connected to the intermediate forward portion of the frame member, the support being supplied at its forward end with a rearwardly prolonged extension, a transverse rod mounted at its ends in the frame member and mount-ed in its intermediate portion in the extension of the support, a rearwardly extended beam, means for mounting the-forward end of the beam to swing on the rod, and soil engaging .means on the beam.

2. In a device of the class described, an arched axle, ground wheels mounted on the axle, a U-shaped frame member extended forwardly from the axle, a support connected at its rear end to the axle, and at its forward end to the intermediate portion of the frame member, the forward end of the support being supplied with a rearward extension having an eye, a rod mounted in the eye and in the side portions of the frame member, tubular spacers ournaled on the rod between the eye and the side portions of the frame member, sleeves about the spacers, means for securing the sleeves to the spacers, beams connected to the sleeves, and soil-engaging means on the beams.

3. In a device of the class described, a frame, substantially vertical shafts mounted to rock in the frame, ground wheels journaled on the said shafts, rearwardly extended arms secured to-the said shafts, a connection pivoted at its ends to the arms, a third shaft journaled on the frame betweenthe first-specified shafts and having an arm, a link pivoted to the last-specified arm and to the connection, a rearwardly extended fourth shaft journaled on the frame and under the control of an operator, and means for connecting the third and fourth shafts operatively, whereby rotation will be imparted from the fourth shaft to the third shaft.

4. In a device of the class described, a frame, a beam carried by the frame, a soilengaging element on the beam, ground wheels mounted on the frame for lateral swinging movement, an upwardly and rearwardly extended handle member carried by the beam, a shaft j ournaled on the handle member and carrying a grip, and mechanism for connecting the shaftoperatively with the ground wheels to secure a lateral movement of the ground wheels in steering, the grip forming operating mechanism for the shaft, and forming, also, means whereby the handle may be held by an operator.

5. In a device of the class described, a frame comprising an axle, ground wheels mounted to swing for steering, on the axle, a brace forming part of the frame and extended across the top of the axle, the brace having a depending bearing located behind the axle, a bracket on the brace, a securing device connecting the bracket to the brace, the securing device passing under the axle and being joined to the bearing, a shaft supported for rotation in the bracket and in the brace, means under the control of an operator for rotating the shaft, another shaft journaled in the bearing, gearing connecting the shafts, and a means for connecting the lastspecified shaft operatively with the ground wheels to impart steering motion to the ground wheels.

6. In a device of the class described, a

frame comprising an axle, ground wheels.

mounted to swing, for steering, on the axle, a brace connected to the frame and extended across the axle, the brace having a depending bearing located behind the axle, a securing device extended under the axle, the forward end of the securing device being connected to the brace, and the rear end of the securing device being connected to thebearing, a shaft journaled in the brace, means under the control of an operator for actuating the shaft, another shaft journaled in the bearin 'earo: 2: mg connectlng the shafts, and means for connecting thelast-specified shaft operatively with the ground wheels, for steering.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature.

HENRY A. HARRIS. 

